Columbia International Affairs Online: Working Papers

CIAO DATE: 07/2010

Options in Dealing with Iran's Nuclear Program

Abdullah Toukan, Anthony H. Cordesman

March 2010

Center for Strategic and International Studies

Abstract

• Iran is a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and ranks among the world’s top three holders of both proven oil and natural gas reserves. Iran is OPEC’s second-largest producer and exporter after Saudi Arabia, and is the fourth-largest exporter of crude oil globally after Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Norway. • As of January 2009, Iran has an estimated 136.2 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, or roughly 10 percent of the world's total proven petroleum.